ABSTRACT
Orienteering is a sport which involves both physical and cognitive components. It is a cross-country running event which takes the format of a time trial: participants have separate start times and compete individually against the clock. The technical aspect of the sport involves participants navigating around a set course with the use of a specially prepared map and compass. The relative intensity of exercise is largely determined by the participants’ navigational ability, as mistakes will generally result in a reduction in pace, often a complete halt, in an attempt to relocate oneself and to identify the correct route. As a result of this component of the sport, the relative importance of physical fitness and the degree of physiological stress on the competitors varies with standard of navigation.
